posted 08-23-2005 08:44 PM               

Between the years that NASA flew its first unmanned Mercury sub-orbital space flight and when its Apollo astronauts trained for their first mission to orbit the Moon, 12 test pilots flew the nation's first rocket plane to the edges of the atmosphere... and beyond.

Of the dozen, eight of those pilots flew the experimental X-15 to altitudes above 264,000 feet – 50 miles – a height recognized by the U.S. Air Force as being in space.

Of the eight, five pilots were employed by the Air Force and received their astronaut wings. The three others were NASA pilots and received no such honor.

On Tuesday (Aug. 23), that omission was rectified during a ceremony at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in California honoring the three civilian research pilots who flew the X-15 into space.

posted 08-24-2005 12:35 AM               

Neil Armstrong, along with Robert White and Joe Engle, were also there to speak and offer their support to Bill Dana and the families of Walker and McKay. It was a fantastic, low-key ceremony honoring the early space pioneers.

All the VIP guests were extremely accommodating to hand shakes and photo ops. Neil was fantastic and didn't hesitate to offer a firm handshake to all in attendance. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning just being in the same room with these gentlemen. It is an experience I will never forget.

I've spent the last several months reading with envy, the endeavors and experiences of many cS'ers and the opportunities they have had to mingle with our mutual space heroes. Now I finally have some bragging rights of my own.

posted 08-24-2005 08:09 PM               

Four of the five surviving X-15 pilots were on hand when astronaut wings were presented to the three NASA pilots who flew the X-15 rocket plane into space in the 1960s, Bill Dana, Joe Walker (deceased) and Jack McKay (deceased). From left, Robert White, Dana, Neil Armstrong, Joe Engle. (NASA photo by Tony Landis)

Representatives of each of the X-15 pilots who received astronaut wings during the ceremony at NASA Dryden included Sheri McKay Lowe, oldest daughter of Jack McKay; Bill Dana, and Jim Walker, son of Joe Walker. (NASA photo by Tony Landis)

Cloth and leather versions of astronaut wings were presented to the three NASA pilots who flew the X-15 rocket plane into space in the 1960s, Bill Dana, Joe Walker (deceased) and Jack McKay (deceased). (NASA photo by Tony Landis)